kerala backwaters

Sailing through the waters in a private houseboat the views were amazing. There is nothing to dislike apart from the weather you arrive. A strict no in summers. Choose an good A/d houseboat and the expreince is one to cherish

A full day and night on the backwaters, away from the creature comforts is a must for anyone who yearns to connect with nature. The backwaters are quiet and picturesque. You can buy fresh shrimp and fish caught right there and have it cooked on board. Make sure you carry allout to keep away the mosquitoes and bugs that will swarm towards light at night.

We have booked a boat and spend couple of hours at backwater . It was awesome and simply stunning experience . We did enjoyed a lot.nice houseboats , lush green surrounding , calm water and peaceful environment makes you feel great. You can't stop yourself to realise you are at gods own country. A must visit place if you are in Kottayam or Kumarakom

The gods own country is proud of its backwaters and it can be called as the gift of Nature by God. One of the best back water cruise one can have and cherish for the life time. Must enjoy

Loved this experience. Totally relaxing, amazing boats and fabulous food! Sorry we didnt do a couple of days. Nothing to do but sit in the sun and watch the scenery go by!

We visited Kerala for a six day tour and booked a tempo traveller from Mr. Santhilal. He promised to give new traveller but when we arrived, the traveller was not new and moreover the driver provided to us don't know English or Hindi. Another mistake from our side was that we believed Santhilal and booked 2 bedroom houseboat and gave an advance. When we reached there, he offered us one bedroom houseboat in a worst condition apart from advance payment. We wasted time in searching another houseboat though we got one 3 bedroom houseboat in the same rate in which Santhi was providing 2 bedroom houseboat. My suggestion is never go for Prasanthy Holidays. Santhi promises you something else and will go you something else.

unfortunately this was at the very end of a 6 month trip and our funds didn't allow the houseboat experience...we instead opted for a day at Munroe Island and the government boat from Kollam to Allapuzah. So relaxing to float along and absorb the beauty of the surroundings whilst reading a good book. Keen photographers will be in their element with a great variation of wildlife alongside some breathtaking reflections of the scenery in the waters. I will provide advice for those considering the government boat. The lunch provided may appear to be a buffet but it isn't. You pay for the food on each plate (100R) so stock it high the first time so you're not left wanting to go back for more. They will also have waiters carrying fish and watermelon round to serve, be aware they also charge extra for this! One waiter left a plate of watermelon on our table clearly hoping we would eat it so they could charge us. Realistically it wasn't the best food in the world so if you can get another option (eg. A packed lunch of some sorts) then I would advice that instead.

finally i could live my dream, i would say. Backwaters ! this attraction was a memorable experience for me. the chill weather, the people, the house boat, spicy food. cheers to the host. i' am glad that i travelled. overall experience was good and refreshing. i repeat, the scenic beauty and of course the food was classic.

The Kerala Backwaters is a half day tour that can not be missed if you happened to be in the area. The experience to be navigated through the different canals and lakes with its sights on both sides are simply great. A good local guide to thread the sights with the history of the land make the whole tour even more exciting. Kerala had been colonized by the Portuguese, the Dutch, and British. Each had certain positive and negative effects on this land. But the best example of their contribution was the canal system by the Dutch that enable the area to control its water level through the years. Along the canal, you will notice the land on both sides of the canal is lower than the level of the water the boat is on. Amazing engineering of the Dutch!

This was a highlight of our stay in Kerala. Away from the chaotic mad road traffic, you drift lazily past lakeside villages, watching the birds and enjoying excellent food. Highly recommended

we took an evening ride and it was not very hot, so we enjoyed a lot even without the air-conditioning. the canals were nice but the best party was the lake ride- it is a huge lake and we could even see our resort from the lake and at the end of the ride we were dropped at the waterfront of our hotelit was a great experience and a not to be missed one when in Kumarakom and allepey

We took an overnight cruise on a houseboat - known as a 'kettulavallom'. This was organised by our tour company 'The Travel Planners' which used a firm called 'River Escapes'.Our boat picked us up at noon. We were then served lunch whilst cruising through the backwaters. As part of the trip during the afternoon, we transferred into a small canoe which allowed us to travel down some of the really narrow canals in the system. This provided a real eyeopener into the extraordinary life style of the inhabitants of the region. After this we then cruised in our houseboat until mooring up for the night at about 6 pm. Our evening meal was served against the background sounds of wildlife and the local fishermen. In the morning breakfast was served as we motored to our drop off point for a 9 am pick up.We were the only tourists on the boat. There was a skipper, a mate and a chef. The accommodation was very good. The sitting area was very spacious with a large open air dining table. The bedroom was surprisingly roomy with an efficient air conditioning unit.The food was plentiful, well presented and of a high standard. Part of the evening meal were the king prawns we had previously purchased from a local fishmonger.Some travellers have said that the overnight section of a visit to the backwaters is an unnecessary expense and that you can see just as much on a day trip. Certainly because you have to moor up overnight, the range you can travel is a rather limited. However, there is something a little decadent about having your own boat and crew - it's not likely to happen again and the whole venture is a really memorable experience. I would strongly recommend.

We had a great holiday experience with lakes and lagoons. I really appreciate services right from reception. I would particularly appreciate efforts for arranging pure veg menu for all meals on board. The night halt at a serene location with adequate safety deserves special mention. 5 to 6 boats were parked together at dedicated docks making it safer. Most importantly a dedicated house boat to a family was great. The house boat was not lesser than any good hotel. It was so clean that we removed our shoes and moved barefoot on houseboat. Booking houseboat with Lakes and lagoons will eliminate all uncertainties and worries. Thank you for making our stay memorable.

There are many companies that take you to the backwaters. To try and go off the beaten path, we convinced a local villager to take us in smaller canals in his country boat. Advantages of a small country boat is that it can navigate through narrow canals, is sound free so we didn't scare off the abundant birds plus we received personal attention! We also rode in a small motor boat which helped us cover a larger area and go to the centre of the Vembanad lake as well. The mangroves are lush green and beautiful. Words cannot do justice to its beauty!

Lovely feeling,cruising on the lake and seeing the sunset! Its just sheer bliss relaxing next to the backwaters. A perfect romantic getaway! An experience no other place in India can provide.